Of course the car is a funky colour which looks
very electric and stunning. We are using special Electric Drive logos, but otherwise we don’t want to differentiate our electric cars too much as it doesn’t make a difference what transmission it has. “You want to have a Mercedes and you want
to have a good looking car. We’re not a fan of electric cars looking completely different.” And without going into too much detail on
performance, he added: “I think it’s fast!” And how right he is, because the all-wheel-
drive model is powered by four electric motors that deliver a maximum output of 552kW. And that 1,000Nm of torque means there will always be a constant supply of powerful, rapid and constant acceleration at your disposal. Range anxiety is a major concern for anyone thinking of venturing towards electrically- powered vehicles, but the SLS ED can reach 155 miles before a charge is necessary. Te interior resembles the standard SLS
except there is a new instrument stack where information relating to battery performance, range and power are relayed to the driver. But the body-hugging bucket seats
remain and are set off nicely by the carbon trimmings throughout. And those ever-thoughtful technicians
at Mercedes have even fitted the car with a specialist sound system so the noise it emits resembles that of a powerful, roaring supercar rather than a whimpering milk float – like some electrically-powered cars! Te noise perfectly captures the car’s supreme
performance with a gentle purring start-up sound at the press of the power button, a more dynamic, bursting-with-energy sound when accelerating and a more relaxed and subdued sound when cruising. And make no mistake, the special effects will be convincing as they are fed via 11 loudspeakers.
62
waterfrontmagazines.co.uk Tere are three driving modes to choose
from – Comfort which is exactly that, Sport which adds an edgier feel and Sport plus which makes the performance even more agile and responsive. Mercedes has given plenty of consideration
to safety and the SLS ED even has an eight- stage safety plan to prevent any issues with the battery-powered system. Although the order book for the stunning
supercar is now officially open, they will not be seen on UK roads until next summer when it is launched in left hand drive and hard top
styling only. Like everything about this car even the price-tag
is not for the faint-hearted. It will set you back to the tune of £330,340, give or take a few pounds in the Euro/Sterling exchange rate. But the final word deservedly has to go to Dr
Zetsche, who perfectly summed up the Mercedes- Benz outlook on the future of motoring when he concluded: “Te days of oil may be numbered but the days of driving fun are certainly not.” And anyone who is ever lucky enough to get behind the wheel of the new SLS Electric Drive will certainly echo those thoughts.
“You want to have a Mercedes and you want to have a good looking car. We’re not a fan of electric cars looking completely different.”
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